It’s that time of year again. The snow begins to melt, the leavesbegin to grow and in the NHL the dash for the final few playoff spots intensifies as teams look to scrap together as many points as they can in the few remaining games of the NHL regular season and the Buffalo Sabres are no exception.

With Sabres up by two points over the Hurricanes for 8th place the Sabres don’t have much breathing room in the Eastern conference.

In their final 11 games of the season, the Sabres play a number of key games including a crucial one on March 29th against the New York Rangers. Other matchups include a date with the Devils and Leafs, both teams who are chasing the Sabres.

Combine those games with others against the surging Capitals and the first place Flyers and you’ll find that the road to the playoffs won’t be easy for the Sabres. That being said, there are a number of reasons for Sabres Nation to remain hopeful of a playoff spot. Here are my top 5 reasons why the Sabres are a lock for a playoff spot:

1. The Tyler factor

With the amount of skill that Myers and Ennis posses, you can bet they will play an integral part in the Sabres march to the playoffs. Despite having a mediocre sophomore year, Myers has started to pick up his game just in time for the playoffs.

His point totals may not be Norris trophy worthy, however his offensive totals have gone up in the last few weeks and his defensive play on the ice has improved dramatically since the start of the season. He has regained his confidence and looks much more poised with the puck which is a great news for Sabres fans.

Though he is referred to as “Tyler 2″, Ennis is no less important to the Buffalo Sabres than Myers. Tyler Ennis is having a great rookie season with the Buffalo Sabres, registering 18 goals and 44 points thus far. His speed and deking ability have people comparing him to the likes of Daniel Briere.